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SFValley
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
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 Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:36 am Post subject: TESOL Certificate |
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Hi. I will be going to Korea to teach English this fall in the public schools and to up my salary I am planning on doing an online TESOL course. Does anyone recommend or highly advise against certain sites/institutes?? The cheapest one I can find is with ITTT and it's without tutor support which means I will need to take a final (does anyone know if this "final exam" is passable or do-able?). I'm wondering whether or not I should pay the extra $100 to get a tutor support and get out of having to take the final.
Thanks so much for any help or info you guys may have. And, this is my first post and time visiting this site, but can I just say that I LOVE this site and find it INCREDIBLY helpful!!!  Thanks Dave! |
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ChinaBoy
Joined: 17 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| do the ITTT with tutor, who wants to take a final? They could fail you and you'd be out the initial money and would have to pay again |
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alphakennyone
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: city heights
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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i did ITTT without the tutor. i didnt do any of the worksheets (screw that noise) and took the final after a week and a half
took me basically all day but i saved $100 and i finished it in less time than if i had used the tutor service (they only let you complete one lesson per day and you HAVE TO fill out their asinine worksheets)
by the way i got an A. you're not going to fail if you went to college. if you're new to teaching, maybe complete the worksheets. you will be well prepared..but they are a pain in the ass. lot's of paraphrasing. same as the final. |
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DrugstoreCowgirl
Joined: 08 May 2009
Location: Daegu-where the streets have no name
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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| What kinds of things do you have to do for the test? I am interested in doing it so I can move up a pay grade. |
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alphakennyone
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: city heights
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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Lot's of paraphrasing from the materials. Tell ya what, sign up for the course without tutor support. Look at the worksheets. If they seem difficult, then the test will be difficult for you, so pay the extra money and get tutor support.
Frankly, it's just mindless and time consuming. It's not mentally taxing. Just repeat what they say in the texts. I've never heard anyone on this board say they failed their online certificate. |
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SFValley
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:43 pm Post subject: Thank you! |
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That's so helpful to know. I'll go ahead and do the one without the tutor. I can save myself time and money. Can you tell me what the final is like? Is it like 100 multiple choice questions or essay format... ??
I'm so glad I asked and so glad for this forum!!!! You guys rock! |
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alphakennyone
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: city heights
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| The questions on the final are in the same format as the worksheets you'll receive. Mostly one-two paragraph answers. Mine was well over 10 pages (can't remember exactly) when it was done, much of it my typing. |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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I'll repeat the mantra 'go cheap on the cert'. Certs are overrated, not to mention overpriced, and many places recognize this by not requiring them. What is more, many jobs out there are no longer accepting them as being 'good enough'. One needs a TESOL diploma to get into the door at those employers.
You're doing one thing right for sure--you're spending very little on this overrated certification. |
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ChinaBoy
Joined: 17 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:29 am Post subject: |
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Not to offend the OP, but I do think (from some of the threads here) that some noobs might actually have a difficult time with that test. $100 extra for the tutor option which practically guarantees a passing test seems worth it for them.
But yes, it is true that most of it is just paraphrasing what's in the information. I think you're supposed to be "on your honor" or something not to look at the material while taking the test.  |
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bobbybigfoot
Joined: 05 May 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:58 am Post subject: |
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This thread is proof positive that online TESOL certificates are a joke.
In fact, the entire ESL industry is a joke. |
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anynag
Joined: 01 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:06 am Post subject: |
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| bobbybigfoot wrote: |
| In fact, the entire ESL industry is a joke. |
That's why I work in the EFL / ESOL industry.  |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:54 am Post subject: |
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| bobbybigfoot wrote: |
This thread is proof positive that online TESOL certificates are a joke.
In fact, the entire ESL industry is a joke. |
Not to mention a machine, you boat-rocker, you.
Yes, the industry is a joke, but that's only half the fault of the white faces. Place the remaining fault at the door of the schools and countries. Take Korea, for example. Now here's a country in which the ESL industry is a joke, overall. Employers in Korea will hire those with no education degree, no English degree, no experience teaching, and not even a certification, not that that would bring much to the table. Hell, Korea will hire people without even meeting them in person. Then they'll blame the (supposed) teacher for being 'bad' when it all comes unglued. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:59 am Post subject: |
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| bobbybigfoot wrote: |
This thread is proof positive that online TESOL certificates are a joke.
In fact, the entire ESL industry is a joke. |
I think it is only a joke in Korea.
There are some very valuable and recognized TESOL certificates. Those are usually ones that universities give for full-year courses or near full-year courses.
I am pretty sure if you had the Columbia University Teacher's College TESOL Certificate you would have your pick of a LOT MORE jobs than ABC Institute's 100hr program. The Columbia one is pretty expensive, but has something like 250-300hrs worth of classes. |
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ChinaBoy
Joined: 17 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
I am pretty sure if you had the Columbia University Teacher's College TESOL Certificate you would have your pick of a LOT MORE jobs than ABC Institute's 100hr program. The Columbia one is pretty expensive, but has something like 250-300hrs worth of classes. |
I was never asked where my TESOL cert came from |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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| ChinaBoy wrote: |
| Mr. Pink wrote: |
I am pretty sure if you had the Columbia University Teacher's College TESOL Certificate you would have your pick of a LOT MORE jobs than ABC Institute's 100hr program. The Columbia one is pretty expensive, but has something like 250-300hrs worth of classes. |
I was never asked where my TESOL cert came from |
This is in Korea I am guessing? Which falls to my point, in Korea they are a joke. If you want to teach in ESL centers in your home country, they DO look at where you got your certificate. |
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